Western Springs Doesn't Want To Be Zoo: Official

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Western Springs officials have seen photos of animals gathering around piles of food left at houses in town — and they want to do something about it.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, Trustee James John said officials have received complaints that such food is attracting wild animals in large numbers. He said the village was considering a change to its ordinance on nuisances "in the hopes of avoiding turning Western Springs into a zoo."

The ordinance would bar residents from placing food on their properties if it "attracts wild animals, birds or insects, in a manner or in sufficiently large numbers as to cause unreasonable damage to other property or a hazard to public health."

John said that if a resident left out a small saucer of milk or plate of food for a cat, that would not fall under the ordinance.

"Officers in the village would use discretion at implementing this," he said. "It's a way to keep our community safe from a lot of extra animals with children around. It is No. 22 on a long list of nuisances that are already on the books."

The board is expected to vote on the amendment to the village's nuisance ordinance at its Oct. 26 meeting.